Draft rigging



March 31. 1925.

P. R. DRENNING ET AL DRAFT RIGGING Filed May 3, 1922 annu/viols*Patented lar. 31,l 1,925.

UNITED STATES 'A 1,531,647 PATENT oFElcE.

PERCY E. DRENNING, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AND ERNEST F. MECHLDT, OEE'-VLASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

THE SYMINGTON COMPANY, A CORPORATION O'F MARYLAND.

DRAFT BIGGING.

Application led May 8,

railway cars.

The invention has for an object the provision of simple, durable andinexpensive draft rigging involving a horizontal yoke formed with a keyreceiving rear end, said rear end being slotted and reinforced to rovidea buifing construction in which the ackstop is elimmated.

Another object of the. invention is to provide a draft rigging includingin combination` a standard two-key and three-key arrangement wherein thedraft benefits of the two-key construction are maintained and aneconomical bulfing construction of the threekey type'is provided withoutthe use of a backstop casting. l

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination a yokehaving a key receiving end, and a stop casting,vthe stop portion thereofprojecting inwardly of the draft sills and arranged in longitudinal`alinement with and overlying a portion of the yoke, whereby the fullarea of the rear key is put under compression upon buiing movement.

The invention further consists in the arrangement and construction ofthe several parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of my inventionand wherein corresponding reference characters designate similar partsin the Several views:

Figure 1 'is a view half in plan and half in horizontal section, of thecenter draft sills showing my improved rear end construction of the yokeand associated key.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3l is a transverse vertical -sectional view on the line 3 3 ofFigure 2.V

1922. serial Nb. 558,190.

Figure iis a transversevertical sectional view on the line 4- 4 ofFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail horizontal sectional Ayoke and adjacent centersill.

The spaced center or draft sills are indicated by the numeral 1. Aconventional striking casting and coupler carry iron are indicated at 2,and the coupler at 3. These parts may be of any suitable or desirableconstruction.

- Each sill 1 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extendingslots, and to the outer face of each sill is connected a cheek plate 4formed with a plurality of longi- Itudinally extending slotsl 8, 9 and10 arranged to register with the slots in the sills when the cheekplates are in position. Each cheek yplate is preferably provided withinwardly extending bosses 5, 6 and 7, respectively, arranged to surroundthe edges of the slots 8, 9 and 10 longitudinally arranged in thesills 1. LaterallyV and outwardly extending bosses l1, 12 and 13 areformed 011l the cheek plates, said bosses being arranged to surround andform, together with the aforesaid bosses, the key receiving yslots 14,15 and 16 provided in each cheek plate. The outwardly extending bossesare relatively wide, and the inner faces thereof are designed to formforward andl rear stop portions for the respective'front and rear edgesof the keys. The bosses 11 and 12 are interconnected by reinforcing webs17, and a relatively long longitudinal rib 18 serves to connect thebosses 12, and 13. Other rein. forcing webs or ribs 19 may be providedat the respective ends of the cheek, plates, ter- View through a portionof the rear of the minating in the bosses 11 and 13, respec l A yoke 22of the horizontal type is shown, l Y `1'05 said yoke being connected tothe cou ler by means of the coupler key 23. he coupler ke 23 passesthrough slots 24 formed int e forward end of the yoke arms,

the forward 'portion of said slots 24 being flared to provide increasedbearing surfaces for the front edge of the key, and also acting as guidemeans for the forward end of said yoke. The key 23 is adapted toslidably connect the coupler 3 to the yoke 22, said key in the normalposition of the gear engaging the rear wall of the slot 25 in thecoupler and engaging at its forward edges against the forward ends ofthe slots 24 in theyoke arms, the said key being also arranged to extendthrough the slots 14 in the 'cheek plates and normally positioned at'anintermediate point in said slots. It will be noted that in the normalposition of the parts the rear end of the slots 24 substantiallycoincide with the rear end of the slots 14 in the cheek plates. Thisconstruction ermits an inward movement of the coupler independent f theyoke under bufling stresses.

The rear end of the yoke 22 connects the side arms thereof and isprovided with a key receiving slot 26, said slot being closed at eachend by the transverse wall portions 27 and 28 integrally uniting saidside arms. Longitudinally and diagonally disposed webs or ribs 29 formthe top and bottom portions of the yoke end, said webs or ribs beingfurther united by means of the vertically arranged angesor webs 30, asclearly shown in Figure 4. This arrangement of 'ribs and flanges servesto reinforce and brace the wall 27 Y when resisting buffing stresses,and also provides a relatively light and hollow web construction ofmaximum strength value. A construction of rear yoke end, such as shown,can be readily and inexpensively cast, as will be understood. The topand bottom portions of the rear end of the yoke are preferably curved,as shown, thereby providing a relatively large and correspondinglystrong construction, the largest vertical diameter of which is arrangedcentrally of the yoke and engages the cushioning mechanism, illustrateddia- `igramni'atically by the dat and dash lines in Figure-1.

Formed upon each yoke arm at the rear of the yoke and adjacent theforward portion of the key receiving opening or slot 26, is a lug orprojection 31 having a key engaging portion 32 adapted to contact theforward edge of the rear key 33 upon bufiing movement. The projection 31upon each yoke Varm is arranged relativelyE close and adjacent the innerface of each center'sill, said projection being of a width equalsubstantially to the clearance between the respective yoke arms andcenter sills.l Each projection 31 is arranged in longitudinal alinementwith the inwardly ,projecting'portion 21 provided on the cheek plate andextending through the center sill, as hereinbefore described.The'respective lugs or projections 31 are also arranged to overlie thesaid projecting portions 21, thereby providing for the full compressionof the rear key upon bu'ring movement'. The projections 31 are providedwith guide or bearing faces 34 adapted to contact the inwardlyprojecting boss of the cheek plate and the inner face of each centersill, thereby providing guidemeans for the rear end of the yoke forpreventing undue lateral movement thereof. Portions of the bearing face34 extend rearwardly above and below the rear key, the extreme innermostends of `said bearing faces being beveled inwardly, as shown. Theforward ends of the inwardly projecting lugs or portions 21 formed onthe cheek plate, are. also inclined, as shown, for cooperation whenbuing, with the beveled end portions 35 on the rear wall 28 of the yoke.

The forward end of the cushioning mechanism cooperates with the keyconnected follower 36, said follower comprising a plurality ofvertically and longitu-dinally arranged reinforcing ribs 37. Thefollower 36 ispr'eferably of the same general contour as the rear end ofnthe yoke. The opposed faces of said follower and the rear of the yokeare relatively large for engaging the cushioning mechanism, the saidlarge portions tapering forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, tosubstantially the vertical height of the yoke arms and coupler stem, asshown. A key 38 extends through the slot 39 in the follower 36, the keyends projecting laterally through the relatively long slots 4() intheyoke arms, and the slots 15 in the cheek plates hereinbefore mentioned.

A draft rigging of the type set forth provides for the pulling benefitsincident to a standard two-key construction, and at the same timepermits of the use of a third key, said key and integral rear end of theyoke cooperating with a rear st op member on the cheek plate therebyproviding an inexpensive and effective bufin construction in which theusual backstop 1s eliminated. On buing movement it will be seen that thelugs 31 on each yoke arm engage the forward edge of the rear key and,together with the inner face of the wall 27 also en gaging the forwardedge of said key, moves said key rearwardly until the rear edge thereofcontacts the rear stop portions of the bosses 13 and theinwardlyextending proj ections 21 formed on the cheek plates. The buflingstresses are. imparted through the. wall 27 andprojecting lugs 31 whichvplace the key under compression, the inwardly projecting stop portions21 acting to prevent shear strains from being imparted yto said rearkey. On forward movement of the voke, the wall 28 closing the rear ofthe key receiving opening acts to move the rear keyfforwardly of thecheek plate-and center sill slots, as will be understood.

IVe claim :fy

l. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced center sills, of acushioning mechanism, a coupler, a horizontal yoke having a keyreceiving opening in the rear end thereof, means connecting said couplerand yoke, rear stop members connected to t-he center sills and havingportions projecting v inwardly thereof, al key passing through said keyreceiving opening andadapted to have the rear edge thereof engage saidstop members on buiiing movement, and means carried by said yoke andarranged adjacent the forward end of said key receiving opening forengaging the forward edge o-f said key, said means being adapted toconta-ct the center sills for guiding the yoke and overlie the inwardlyproject-ing portions of the rear vstop members.

2. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced`center sills, ofacushioning.

mechanism, a coupler, a horizontal yoke having a key receiving openingin the rear end thereof, means connecting said coupler and yoke, rearstop members connected to the center sills and having port-ionsprojecting inwardly thereof, a key passing through said key receivingopening and adapted to have the reai' edge thereof engage said stopmembers on bung movement, andl projecting lugs carriedv by said yokeadjacent the forward end of said key receiving opening, said lu s havingkey engaging faces overlying t e inwardly eX- tending portions of saidrear stop members, and also provided with bearing surfaces for engagingthe inner faces of said center sills.

3. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced center sills, of acushioning mechanism, a coupler, a yoke. having a closed key receivingslot .in the 'rear end thereof, a coupler key connecting said yoke andcoupler, a key connected follower arranged between said coupler andcushioning gnechanism, a key passing through the key receiving slot inthe rear of 'said yoke,

cheek plates connected to said center sills and having an inwardlyprojecting stop portion for the rear edge of said last named key, andmeans carried by the rear end of said yoke and adjacent said kereceivino' slot for engaging the forward edge of said last named key andcontacting the inner faces of said center sills. v

4. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced center sills, Aof acushioning mechanism, a coupler, a yoke having a closed key receivingslot in the rear end thereof, a coupler key connecting said yoke andcoupler, a key connected follower arranged between said coupler andcushioning mechanism, a key passing through the key receiving slot inthe rear of said yoke, a.

cheek plate connected tothe outer face of each center sill and having aplurality of slots, a key passing through the key receivin slot intherear of the yoke and exten ing through oppositely registering vslotsin said cheek plates, means adjacenty the rear stop portion of saidcheek plates with 'which the rear edge of said last mentioned, keyengages on buliing movement,

*said Vmeans being carried by said cheek plates and extending throughthe center sills,\and means .carried by the rear end of said yokeadjacent the forward port-ion of connecting said coupler to the forwardend of said yoke, means for guidingtfhe forward end of said yoke, andmeans contacting the inner faces of said draft sills for guiding therear end of said yoke, said last named means overlying the inwardlyprojecting portions of the stop members and adapted to engage theforward edgey of the key upon 'bufing movement. e

6. In a draft rigging, -the combination with spaced draft sills, `ofcushioning mechanism, a coupler, a horizontal yoke having a closedkeyreceiving slot at the rear end thereof, a key slidably connectingsaid yoke with' the draft sills, rear stop members for said key, meansconnecting said coupler and the forward end of said yoke, means forguiding the forward end of said yoke, and means' projecting from theyoke at the rear thereofadapted to contact the inner faces of said draftsills for guiding the rear'end of said yoke, said last named means beingarranged adjacent the forward end of said closed key receivf ing slotand adapted to engage the forward edge of said key in overlying relationwith respect to the rear stop members'.

7. In a, draft rigging, the combination with spaced draft sills, ofcushioning mechanism, a coupler, a horizontal yoke having a closed keyreceivin slot at the rear end thereof, a key slidab y connecting saidyoke with the draft sills, rear stop members for said key, meansconnectin said coupler/and the forward end of sai yoke, means 4forguiding the forward end of said yoke, and means contacting the innerfaces of said draft sills for guiding the rear end of said yoke, saidlast named means projecting outwardly from the yoke arms and arranged tooverlie portions of said rear stop members for placing said msV 8. In adraft ri ging, the combination With spaced center sills, of cushioningmechanism, a coupler, a yoke having parallel arms, means connecting saidcoupler and yoke, a key slot in said yoke/arms adjacent the rear end ofsaid yoke, a lug projecting from Ithe outer face of each yoke armadjacent the forward end of said key slot, and stop members with whichthe rear edge of said key engages on buiing movement,V said stop membersvprojecting inwardly of thel center sills and overlying said lugsproject-ing from lthe yoke arms.

9. A horizontal yoke for draft rigging of the class described, having aclosed key receiving slot formed between frontl and rearwalls integrallyuniting the side arms of the yoke at the rear end thereof, and aplurality of vertical flanges of 'diminishing height from the center ofsaid yoke for reinforcing the front -wall of said key receiving slot.

10. A horizontal yoke for draft rigging of the class described, having aclosed key receiving slot formed between front and rear walls integrallyuniting the side armsl of the yoke `at the rear end thereof, and aplurality of longitudinally and diagonally arranged ribs located aboveand below said slot, said ribs being of laterally and longitudinallydiminishing heightfrom the forward center portion of the front Walluniting the yoke arms.

11. A horizontal yoke for draft rigging of the class described, havingoppositely disposed parallel side arms, a closed key receiving slotextending throu h said arms at the rear of the yoke, and lugs projectingoutwardly from said arms adjacent the for- Ward end of said key slot,said lugs being adapted to contact the center sills of the draft riggingfor guiding the rear of the yoke and disposed to overlie the reai' stop45 members of said draft rigging.

In testimony whereof we aiix our Signatures.

PERCY R. DRENNING. ERNEST F. MECHLIN.

